Mudras of Memory: "Healing and Heritage in Arayar Sampradayam”
The Arayar Sampradayam is a fascinating and deeply artistic tradition within Sri Vaish, blending devotional performance, music, and dance in a way that feels tailor-made for someone with your puppetry instincts. The tradition of Arayar or Ariar Sevai, a ritualistic art form of the Vaishnavite temples that amalgamates music, literature, dance and prose in its rendition. The Araiyar Swamigal performs the service only in front of the Utsava Murthy, usually within the temple. The Araiyar sevai commences with the Arula pattu (Issuance of the gracious), commandment by the Lord to the Araiyar) through the Bhattar when the officiating Bhattar calls out: “ Thiruvaranga PerumaaL Araiyar”…Araiyar Swamigal Comes forward saying: “Aaindhen Aaaindhen? What is Arayar Sampradayam? It’s a ritualistic performance tradition practiced primarily in temples like Srirangam, Melkote, and Srivilliputhur. The performers, called Arayars, are traditionally male Brahmins trained in singing the Divya Prabandham (Ta...